Engine starter



Ma 13, 1930, R P LANSING 1,753,118

ENGINE STARTER Filed June 28, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 da 4x95 F. LANSENG ENGINE STARTER ay 13, 193B Filed June 28, 1926 2 Sheets-=Shee't 2 77%(135 Mm Mm.

Patented May 13, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAYMOND P. LANSING, O1 MONTCLAIB, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO ECLIPSE MACHINE COMPANY, 01' ELIIBA, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION 015 NEW YORK ENGINE sma'rna Application filed June as,

particularly but not necessarily airplane engines, and the object thereof is to provide a simple, eflicient and reliable apparatus of this kind which is characterized by the provision of means whereby some other instru mentality or machine, such as an electric generator, an air compressor, an oil pump, a supercharger, or the like, may be conveniently driven from the engine by means of the starting apparatus connections between the prime mover of such apparatus and the engine. Particularly in the case of airplane engines, it has been found difiicult, especially in the case of the electric generator, to make a suitable driving connection with the engine, not,

only on account of lack of the proper space therefor, but also on account of the difiiculty in making a suitable driving connection.

Such difliculties are overcome by combining my engine starting apparatus with a driving connection suitable for different instrumentalities, such as the ones above mentioned.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section illustrating one embodiment of my invention in which an electric generator is the particular instrumentality which is driven by the engine; and

F i 2 a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

eferring to the embodiment of my invention as herein illustrated, the engine starter drive proper and the power means and manual means for operating the same being shown in Fig. 2, are the same as described and claimed in my prior patent application, filed January 20, 1926, Serial No. 82,394, for improvements in engine starters. This construction and arrangement is suitable and convenient to be used in combination with the engine connections and with the connection for driving the other instrumo'itality referred to.

1926. Serial No. 118,938.

casing is in turn connected with the crankcase 2 of the engine by bolts 3, a small portion of which crankcase is illustrated. Within the casing 1, there rotates a driving barrel 4 and a nut 5 located and operating concentrically therewithin and operatively connected with the barrel by a yieldable driving connection which is here in the form of a friction clutch 6. This clutch is composed of two sets of disks which are splined respectively to the interior of the barrel and to a righthand extension (F 2) of the nut. The proper pressure for the disks is provided by a series of springs 7 located within the barrel and such pressure is regulated by the adjustable ring 8 screwing in the interior of'the barrel. The thrust of these springs is against the flange 9 of nut 5 and tends to force such nut inwardly and consequently force the clutch disks against the spacing ring 10 and into frictional contact with each other. The nut 5 is provided with internal long lead threads 12 on which is threaded a screw shaft 13 constituting the main portion of the driving member whose other principal portion is a clutch member 14 adapted to be placed in driving relation with a corresponding clutch member 15 which is here detachably connected with a connecting shaft 59 which is itself detachably connected with a rotatable part of the engine, such as the crank shaft 16 thereof. The element 14 is in the form of a disk having clutch jaws 17 adapted to engage complementary clutch jaws 18 on the clutch member 15 and provided with a hub or sleeve portion 19 which is splined to the outer end of the screw shaft by means of splines 20, whereby element 14 and screw shaft 13 have a relative longitudinal movement of limited degree independent of each other. The element 14 is held in outward position with a yielding pressure in suitable manner as by means of a coil spring 22 which bears at its outer end against the bottom of sleeve 19 and at its inner end against the bottom of a socket formed in the outer end of the screw shaft. The outward movement of element 14 is limited by the head or nut 21 on the outer or left-hand end of an operating rod 23 which passes centrally through the driving parts and centrally through the reduction gearing hereinafter described.

Next referring to the reduction means, the same is in the form of gearing contained within the main casing 1 by which such gearing is supported and in which it has its bearings. A. stationary internal gear 24 is secured to casing l in suitable manner as by screws 25 and with the same there meshes a series of three planetary gears 31. These gears are journaled between the end plate 4 and a plate 26 parallel therewith. This end plate 4 has a hub 27 extending laterally to the right in Fig. 2 and on the same there is loosely mounted a hub 28 of the internal gear 29. This reduction gearin is operatively connected respectively wit the manual means and with the power means in the following manner:

Referring to the manual means, the same comprises a cranking shaft 30 entering through one side of the supplemental casing 1 and having suitable bearings 31 and 32 therein. This shaft is provided with suitable means, such as the pins 33 for engagement with an ordinary hand crank. At its inner end, the cranking shaft is provided with a bevel pinion 34 secured thereto and meshing with. a corresponding bevel pinion 35 which is secured to the hub 27 of the barrel 4.

Next referring to the power means or electric motor and its operating connections. and also referring to the inertia means which is combined therewith, the electric motor 36 is removably secured by means of the screws 37 to a cover plate 1 which encloses the inertia means which is here in the form of a flywheel 38 and also the bearing extensions of the casing 1 The armature shaft 39 of the motor is operatively connected with the flywheel, and consequently to the reduction gearing in such manner that the torque of the motor is transmitted in one direction only, that is from the motor to the flywheel and the gearing. To this end, the armature shaft is provided with a screw threaded portion 40 on which is threaded a shell 41 whose marginal flange portion is adapted to be clamped in automatic manner against the plate 42 secured to the web of the fly-wheel 38 whenever the motor is energized. This flywheel is splined to a shaft 43 and also keyed thereto by key 44. This shaft 43 also provides a bearing for the outer end of the armature shaft and for this purpose such shaft 43 has a socket at one end to receive the armature shaft The shaft 43 is provided at one end with a pinion 45 which meshes with the gear teeth 46 of the bell shaped gear 47 whose central shaft 48 is mounted within the bearing 49 of the casing 1 This gear 47 is provided at one end with a pinion 50 which meshes with the internal gear 29.

that such shaft projects beyond such bearings at its opposite ends. At its inner or right-hand end, such shaft receives in detachable manner the clutch member 15, hereinbefore referred to. ln'the present instance, this member is splined to the socketed end of such shaft 59 by means of the splines 61. The other end of the shaft 59 is connected with the socketed right-hand end of the engine member or crank shaft 16 in removable manner and drivingly by means of suitable splines 62 engaging corresponding splines and grooves in such socketed end of the crank shaft which has its bearings in the crank case at 63. The clutch member 15 is held in its proper assembled position in a suitable manner as by means of the rod 64 extending longitudinally within the shaft 59 and havinga head 65 hearing in a socket in the outer end of the clutch member 15 and screw threaded at 66 in the central bore at the lef -hand end portion of the shaft 59.

To the right hand end portion of the shaft 59, there is secured in a suitable manner as by keying a driving connection for the additional instrumentality, which driving connection is here in the form of a bevel gear 67.

Describing the electric generator and its combination with the mechanism already described, which generator is selected as the driven instrumentalit-y for purposes of a clear description of my invention, such generator 68 is adapted to fit into a suitable opening in the casing 1 and to be held therein, and the same is provided with an extending lower end cap 69 having bearings 70 for the armature 71 of such generator. To the outer end of this armature shaft, there is secured a bevel gear 72 which meshes with the bevel gear 67 and is driven by the latter. It will be understood that my apparatus including the driving connection 67 is made as herein shown, but that in case such generator or other instrumentality is not to be drivingly connected to my engine starting apparatus. the opening in the casing 1 now occupied by one end of the generator may be closed by a suitable plate (not shown). As a result, such driving connection is always available for different instrumentalities and the same may be combined in the apparatus in a very convenient and quick manner.

Describing a cycle of operation and beginning with the parts in the normal position shown in Fig. 2- and first describing such operation when the electric motor is employed as the actuating means for the flywheel and the drive, when the motor is energized the clamping member 41 will be automatically advanced into clamping position with respect to the flywheel plate 42 and rapid driving relationship thereby established between the motor and the flywheel 38. The flywheel is thereupon rotated and likewise the torque is transmitted to the shaft 43, pinion 45, gear 47 and pinion 50 to the reduction gearing com osed of the gear 29, planetary gears 31 an thence to the barrel 4 and through the clutch 6 to the nut 5 and screw shaft 13. However, this screw shaft will be merely rotated and will not be advanced as its rotation is comparatively slow because of the reduction gearing. When the rotation of the flywheel has reached the predetermined degree which in practice is between fifteen thousand and twenty thousand R. P. 'M., the current may or may not be cut ofl' from the electric motor as desired by the operator and the rod 23 is operated by being thrust to the left in Fig. 2 with the result that the screw shaft 13 will be caused by such pressure and by automatic action between is screw threads and those of the nut 5 to be advanced thereby bringing the clutch jaws 17 and 18 into engagement. --The drivmg shaft 59 and consequently the engine member or crank shaft 16 will thereby be rotated and the engine will be cranked. When the engine operates under its own power, the driving member will be automatically disengaged. through the screw action between the screw shaft 13 and the nut 5.

The normal position of the sleeve 19 of the clutch member 14, which forms a part of the driving member,.is in contact with the nut 5, as shown in Fig. 2 and the inner movement of such sleeve is thereby limited but after the screw shaft 13 has been advanced towards the left in Fig. 2 and in case of abutment of the clutch jaws 17 and 18, such clutch member 13 will be momentarily stopped in its advance, but the screw shaft 13 will continue to advance but as soon as register between the clutch jaws 17 and 18 occurs upon the rotation of the clutch member, the spring 22 will snap such clutch member into full engagement with the engine member. This functioning of the parts is permitted by reason of the relative longitudinal movement of the screw shaft and its clutch member 14.

Next describing a cycle of operation when the manual means is the source of power, when the cranking shaft 30 is rotated by an ordinary hand crank the bevel gear 34 will be rotated and thereby the bevel gear 35 and the hub 27 and entire barrel 401: the drive. At the same time, the planetary gears will cause rotation of the internal gear 29 which ator will operate the rod 23 in the manner and with the result hereinbefore explained in the case of the use of the motor as the actuating means.

Assuming that the instrumentality to be driven is an electric generator, as shown in Fig. 1, such generator being drivingly connected with the shaft 59, the same will be rotated in the starting operation, and more particularly when the engine is running under its own power at which time the generator will generate current for the purposes usual in starting lighting and ignition systems used in connection with internal combustion engines, such as employed on automobiles and airplanes and the like.

In practice, the bearings in the crankcase 2 are lubricated by splash from the cranks. In case any oil should pass or ooze through the bearings 60 into the intermediate casing 1, the same is prevented from collecting therein by draining through the drain pipe 7 3 back into the crankcase.

While iii the present instance, I have shown only one instrumentality or machine, to-wit, a generator combined in operative relationship with, the starting a paratus and its connections, it will be un erstood that two or more of such instrum'entalities may be com- 'bined simultaneously therewith and located starting. It also permits of a constructionsuch that on removal of the entire assembly of the generator and the connecting structure, the starter is suitable for direct connection with the engine, it only being necessary for this purpose to transfer the clutch member 15 from the splined provision of the connecting shaft to the corresponding receptive pro-' vision of the engine shaft, the starting casing fitting directly onto the casing of the engine.

-I claim:

1. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a rotatable member and with amachine adapted to be driven thereby, an engine starting apparatus having a rotatable driving shaft in axial alignment with said engine member, and a driving connection located between and in alignment with such shaft and the engine member and having means of connection with the engine member, machine and starting apparatus, said engine member having an internally splined socket, and said driving connection comprising a shaft splined at one end to enga e the splines of the engine member and provided at its other end with means of engagement with the starting apparatus, such means consisting of a jaw clutch member, said starting apparatus being provided with a corresponding shiftable clutch member and means for shifting it.

2. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a rotatable member and with a machine adapted to be driven thereby, an engine starting apparatus having a rotatable driving shaft in axial alignment with said engine member and a driving connection located between and in alignment with such shaft and the engine member and having means of connection with the engine member, machine and starting apparatus, said engine member having an internally splined socket, and said driving connection comprising a shaft splined at one end to engage the splines of the engine member and provided at its other end with means of engagement with the starting apparatus. such means consisting of a jaw clutch member, said starting apparatus being provided with a corresponding shiftable clutch member and means for shifting it, and means for detachably securing such first named clutch member at the end of the shaft.

3. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a rotatable member and with a machine adapted to be rotatably driven thereby, an engine starting apparatus having a rotatable driving shaft, and adriving connection located between such apparatus and the engine member and having means of connection with the engine member, the machine and the starting apparatus, said engine mem ber, driving connection and drivin shaft being arranged in axial alinement with said driving connection in constant driving relation with the engine member and with said driving shaft normally disengaged from said driving connection but adapted to be engaged therewith for the starting operation.

4. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a rotatable member and with a machine adapted to be rotatably driven thereby, an engine starting apparatus having a rotatable driving shaft, and a driving connection located between such apparatus and the engine member and having means of connection with the engine member, the machine and the starting apparatus, said engine member, driving connection and driving shaft being arranged in axial alinement with said driving connection in constant driving relation with the engine member and with said driving shaft normally disengaged from said driving connection but adapted to be engaged therewith for the starting operation, and said machine being operatively connected with said driving connection at a point intermediate its length.

5. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a rotatable member and with a machine adapted to be rotatably driven thereby, an engine starting apparatus having a rotatable driving shaft, and a driving connection located between such apparatus and the engine member and having means of connection with the engine member, the machine and the starting apparatus, said engine member, driving connection and driving shaft being arranged in axial alinement with said driving connection in constant driving relation with the engine member and with said driving shaft normally disengaged from said driving connection but adaptedto be engaged therewith for the starting operation and said machine being operatively con-- nected with said driving connection at a point intermediate its length, such operating connections comprising intermeshing bevel gears, one of which is secured to said driving connection and the other of which is secured to said machine.

6. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a rotatable shaft and with an engine starting apparatus having a drive-shaft aligned with but spaced from said engine shaft and with a machine to be engine-driven having a shaft between but nonaligning with said engine shaft and starter shaft, of a connecting structure for said engine, machine and starter including a connecting shaft aligned with and interposed between said engine shaft and starter shaft and drivingly connected with said machine shaft, said connecting shaft making at one end'splined connection with the engine shaft and at its other end having provision to receive a similar splined connection, and a jawclutch member making such splinedconnection with said end thereof, said starting apparatus having a corresponding, shiftable jaw-clutch member aligned with and operatively connected with its drive-shaft.

7. The combinaton with an internal combustion engine having a rotatable shaft and a casing with an opening aligning with the shaft-end and with an engine starting appasaid engine shaft and starter shaft and having a casing, of a connecting structure for said engine, machine and starter including a casing having on oppposite ends corresponding provision for attachment to the engine casing and starter casing and between its ends provision to receive the machine casing, and within said connecting-casing a connecting shaft making spiined connection with said engine shaft at one end and having at its other end a jaw-clutch member making corresponding splined connection therewith and arranged toreceive the shiftable clutch member of said starter.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name. 

